8$6
1708.
The Admi-ral blownup.
The Com-madore pur-sues the Reft.
Engages andtakes theRear-Admi-ral.
Ann. Naval Expeditions, Scc of the English, ' Book V*
no Occasion to make Use of the Fire-snip; So she was ordered to keep toWindward. The Commadore perceiv-ing, before Night, that neither the Ktng-Jlon nor the Portland complied with hisDirections, as he expected, he madethe Signal for a Line of Battle (theyboth keeping too much to Windward,from the Enemy,) but it was soon hai-led down again.
It was just Sum set, when the Com-madore began to engage the Admiral,and, in about an Hour and a half, it be-ing then quite dark, she blew up, he be-ing then along her Side, not half Pistol-shot from her; So that the Heat of theBlast came very hot upon them, andseveral Splinters of Plank or Timbercame on Board of them, on Fire; Butthey soon threw them over Board. (0)-After the Blast, it being then very dark,the Enemy’s Ships began to separate ;So that the Commadore, with all hisEndeavours, could keep Sight of butone, which seemed to be the biggest,and proved, as he expected, to be theRear-Admiral.
About ten o’Clock, the Commadorecame up with the Rear-Admiral, and,not feing which Way fhe-lay with herHead, he happened to fire his firstBroad-side into her Stern, which seem-ed to have disabled her from makingSail, and being then to Leeward, hemade a Board to get to Wind-ward.
He had neither seen nor heard any 1708.Thing of the Kingjlon or the Portlandsall this while ; But now, by the Firingof his Guns, and his Lights, they joinedhim, and asiisted in taking the Rear-Admiral, who called for Quarter abouttwo in the Morning, the Moon just thenrising. 0)
The Commadore sent his Captain,
Long, on Board the Prize, who sent theRear-Admiral (the Conde de la VegeFronds') with some of the Officers, onBoard the Expedition-, and let the Restremain there, till they had an Oppor-tunity to dispose of them, a convenientNumber of Men having been sent onaboard to secure them. The Comma-dore staid himself upon Deck ’till Day-light, to see, if he could, which Waythe Rest of the Enemy’s Ships were gone,and, before Sun-rife, he saw one large Q- wes or-Ship on his Weather-bow, and three Sail ders to tUon his Weather-Quarter, lying with his Kin g stoslHead to the N. and N. E. little Wind ; llNTcorUpon which he made Signal for the time theKingjlon and the Portland to chafe, (y ) Chafe.
The thirtieth, about four in the As- jjp on theirternoon, the Commadore found that the giving o'J TKingjlon , and Portland had given over f &the Chafe ; He, therefore, making the ^
Signal again, they continued, and atNight were out of Sight, having a fairChafe after the Vice-Admiral, (r)
These four and twenty Hours, theCommadore was forced to ly by, to put
the,
(0) It was believed, that the Ship did not blowall up into the Air; Because there was little orno Blow; But rather, that the Ship’s Side blewout; For it caused a Sea that came into the Com-madore’s Ports. She funk immediately, with allher Riches, which must have been very great.
(p) She, lay, at that Time, so like a Log inthe Water, that they could not prevent shootinga head, their Braces being shot, and were obligedto tack three Times, which was a great Hindranceto them.
While the Commadore lay along Side of theRear-Admiral, and was engaged with her, theVice-Admiral passed by him, upon the otherTack, being very near running him on Board.He gave him a Broad Side in Faffing by, whichthe Commadore returned, and was in Hopes theKingston and the Portland would have laid holdon her; But they let her pass.
(q) The Commadore, having funk the Admi-ral, taken the Rear-Admiral, and been eight ornine Hours in almost continual Action, might nowreasonably expect some Respite, and that otherswould likewise do their Part, Nevertheless, ifwe may be allowed to judge by his Vigilance andApplication in the Service, before the Discoveryof the Gabions, Readiness in the Pursuit, whendscovered, his Activity, Courage and Perseve-rance in the Fight, there is no Reason left todoubt, but he would, with the same Alacrity, now
have pursued the Vice-Admiral, and given asgood an Account of her, if the Circumstances ofThings would have admitted of it ; But, besides,that his Ship was pretty much damaged in herSails and Rigging, a great Part of his Men wason Board the Prize, and not a little Confusionwith them and the Prisoners; All which renderedit impossible for him to continue the Pursuit. Buthad Captain Bridges , in the Kingsion and CaptainWindsor , in the Portland , bore away after theVice-and Rear-Admirals, according to the Com-madore’s first Orders, or laid hold of the Vice-Admiral, when she pass'd close by them, as I haveobserved above, or now Continued the Chace,with the Diligence, it afterwards appeared theymight have done, neither of the Admirals couldwell have escaped, and it is more than probablesome other of the Gallions must have fallen intotheir Hands.
(r) The Fire-ship remained with the Com-madore, having taken up, in the Night, three ofthe Men belonging to the Admiral, floating on aPiece of Wreck. They said they were on theFore-top when the Ship blew up, and could giveno Account of the Manner or Occasion os it.The Kingfto?i and the Portland took up, tnatDay, eight Men more, likewise upon a Piece orWreck, which it was believed were all thatwere saved of about seven Hundred that were onBoard, including Passengers.